Well...I recently had to sex chicks (mine were 11 weeks going on 12 at the time).
The absolute surest way is if you hear \"pre-crowing\" when the birds are released to the pen in the morning. These are single-note almost cough somewhat muffled crows that grow louder within a week\'s time. If a bird is pre-crowing, it\'s a male -- but not all males pre-crow -- and not all start early. I was surprised to hear nearly 1/2 a dozen pre-crowers last Monday (the 20th) on 12-week-old birds, yet their fathers never uttered a peep until the 17th week. It could be breed-related -- my chicks are mixed Ameraucana/RIR and perhaps RIRs crow sooner.
If roosters are illegal by local ordinance (as they are in my area), you want to pay close attention to any pre-crowing, ID and get them off your property ASAP, else you will have to slaughter them.
Failing pre-crowing, this link gives a fairly comprehensive overview on how to sex chicks via secondary sex traits:
Ithaca University -- Sexing Chicks (Secondary Characteristics)To summarize the traits referenced in the URL above for roosters, you\'re looking for:
large, pinkish combs; slower feather development; long, pointy, shiny hackle and saddle feathers; curved more slowly developing tail; long, heavy legs, spurs developing (note: some hens develop spurs as well); large angular head; larger overall size; upright, erect posture; noisy, aggressive (sparring, flying at one another -- but hens can do it too), alert, pre-crowing and crow-like chirps.
As you research this subject, you may also hear about vent sexing -- forcing feces out, opening the cloaca, sticking your finger in the vent, feeling around, and determining by what your finger feels -- the gender of the bird. This is easier said than done and requires extensive experience to do with any degree of accuracy. You have to know what to feel around for, and there are at least 15 different vent patterns for chickens. Best to leave the vent sexing to the professionals at the hatheries.
--Ron
